Instantly after he became the first U.S. man to successfully orbit earth on behalf of the newly formed National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), astronaut John Glenn ascended to the status of national treasure. He parlayed his fame and prestige into a successful political career – serving as Ohio’s Democratic U.S. Senator for nearly 25 years. He died last month at the age of 95, and was idolized by generations for his role in the U.S. space program.
Meanwhile, the ladies whose calculations allowed him to survive his first trip into space lived as invisible, unsung heroes as NASA enjoyed the reputation as a global giant within the field. At the top of the decade, Margot Lee Shetterly – whose father was an African-American scientist at NASA – began the process of making sure the women got the credit they deserved as she began the groundwork for her best-seller, “Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race.”
“Hidden Figures,” the highly anticipated film adaptation of Shetterly’s book, opens in theatres nationwide tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 6).
In the film version of “Hidden Figures,” the story is narrowed to three central characters portrayed by Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monae and Octavia Spencer.
It is the early 1960s. The Cold War is underway and Russia has a leg up in the Space Race. Black women are recruited to work at NASA as computers, though its Langley, Virginia headquarters sit in the heart of Jim Crow country.
Despite their brilliance and impressive credentials, they are limited in what they are allowed to contribute – and receive credit for – simply because of the color of their skin.
The women are committed to excellence and to proving themselves. They share their talent and unyielding work ethic for the greater good of a country that shows them no compassion, or basic human rights for that matter.
They are black and they are women – so despite their penchant for numbers, they aren’t counted as members of the team. That is until Katherine Johnson, a mathematical genius (and widowed mother of three) is promoted and goes on to provide the calculations that help restore the nation’s confidence in their space program – and cemented Glenn’s place in American history.
Taraji P. Henson leads the cast as Johnson, and makes the most of role as the defacto leading lady in the ensemble cast that also includes Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Mahershala Ali, Aldis Hodge, Jim Parsons and Glenn Powell.
The entire cast gives solid performances throughout. With her portrayal as Johnson, Henson further proves herself as feature film star caliber actress. Octavia Spencer is true to form as the backbone of the ensemble. Singer-turned-actress Janelle Monae shows a surprising amount of depth and range for her performance to be only her second on-screen performance.
Partly because of the writing and direction by Theodore Melfi (the film is co-written by Allison Schroeder), “Hidden Figures” feels more like a beloved Black History Month television movie special than a theatrically released feature film. But while it isn’t necessarily cinematically compelling, the inspirational story and the delightful performances will make “Hidden Figures” an enjoyable experience for all those who see it.
And the remarkable fact that their story is finally out of the shadows while one of the central characters is alive to appreciate the gesture makes “Hidden Figures” all the more endearing.
Hidden Figures opens in theatres nationwide on Friday, January 6. The film is rated PG with a running time of 127 minutes.
